WESTERN LANE

Maya Soroya becomes young Gopi, a girl who loses her mother all too early and gains a passion for sport through her father. This is an exploration of the clash between traditional and contemporary values among the members of a Gujarati community living in England. Soroya does an excellent job of differentiating Aunt Ranjan, Gopi, and her sisters, as well the male characters, including Gopi's father, known as Pa, and her uncle. Listeners will connect with this story of loss, cultural struggle, and the many stages of grief. Soroya pulls us closer to Gopi's truncated world as playing squash comes to replace the gaping losses in her life. Fans of young adult literature will be drawn to this unique character who is struggling with familiar coming-of-age issues. M.R. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]